History of Malmstrom AFB, MT

By 1954, several AC&W squadrons had been formed at then Great Falls AFB. The 903rd AC&W Squadron was one of them, and operated an TPS-1D and MPS-8 as a lashup site. The 903rd AC&W Squadron subsequently relocated to Gettysburg AFS, SD. Meanwhile, in 1957, under the control of the 801st AC&W Squadron, the Malmstrom AFB radar station became operational with FPS-20 search and FPS-6 height-finder radars. A second FPS-6 series height-finder radar was added in 1960, and subsequently was upgraded to an FPS-90 set. In 1959 this station was performing air-traffic-control duties for the FAA, and joined the SAGE system circa 1961. In 1964 the site received an FPS-24 search radar, replacing the FPS-20. The FPS-24 operated until 23 October 1969 when it was decommissioned. It was replaced by a temporary FPS-8 until the FAA FPS-65A could be installed. The 801st Radar Squadron (SAGE) was deactivated on 31 December 1969. However, the radar site itself rejoined the SAGE network on 30 June 1971. The FAA operated an FPS-65 search radar atop the former FPS-24 radar tower, and the Air Force added an FPS-90 height-finder radar. This height-finder radar later became an FPS-116 for the JSS Program, then was removed circa 1988. The Malmstrom AFB radar site was closed altogether in the late 1990s, replaced by a new ARSR-4 JSS site on Bootlegger Ridge north of Great Falls.

References: "Searching the Skies"; misc. ADCOM documents; eyewitness accounts; 1955 CONAD History document; newspaper articles.


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